No more sacrificed meat!


 
Will AZ

Will AZ

New member
Hey. I’m new to Weber and kettle grills, and converted to 100% charcoal when I bought my 22” kettle. It didn’t take long to realize I sacrificed a lot of meat to crappy gas and charcoal grills over the years! I’m loving how my family reacts to the food, and they’re making requests! An unexpected benefit - when I fill the chimney, there's no hours-long conversations about what's for dinner. Everyone's cool with whatever is about to come off the grill. I appreciate being accepted into the group and look forward to going through this treasure trove of info as well as hearing what y'all are up to around your Weber. (Attached is a photo of my first beer can chicken, which was really tasty.)
 

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Will,
I am with you, I grow up in a family that cooked on a gas grill all year round. I mean snow, rain, we were cooking on the gasser. So I went right to gas grills myself. For the last ten year I used gas grills. Then last year with the goal to be able to do low and slow pulled pork, I picked up a used brinkmann smoker. I fell in love with the quality and experience with charcoal. A few months ago I picked up a WSM 14 in and have been using it like every other night. When I moved to my new house 5 months ago I did not bring a gas grill with me. I am in the hunt of the right used 22 kettle for me and then I will call it quiets for the moment and learn how to use those two grills in tandem. I don't think I will ever go back to gas. I have learned so much for this community and expect to keep learning more. Welcome to the community. Great pic of the cooper grill and the great cook.
 
Hi Will, WELCOME!!!!!!!

Speaking of pictures, I was just looking at the ones on your avatar of Arizona. The few I looked at are beautiful. You are lucky to live in such a beautiful place. I know you will love it here. Looking forward to hearing all about your great cooks.
 
I rusted through my original kettle and recently bought a nice blue master touch. These things are awesome.
 
I also grew up on gas grills, but now I love my WSM and kettle.

The gas grill still gets used--currently experimenting with new Grill Grates--but the kettle is the go to for weekend cooking.

I look forward to seeing some more of your cooking.
 
Joan said:
Hi Will, WELCOME!!!!!!!

Speaking of pictures, I was just looking at the ones on your avatar of Arizona. The few I looked at are beautiful. You are lucky to live in such a beautiful place. I know you will love it here. Looking forward to hearing all about your great cooks.
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We moved from San Diego to Phoenix about 25 years ago, and I'm originally from Cincinnati. I sure do miss the ocean and the green, rolling hills in southwest Ohio, but Arizona is pretty amazing!
 
Chris in Louisiana said:
I also grew up on gas grills, but now I love my WSM and kettle.

The gas grill still gets used--currently experimenting with new Grill Grates--but the kettle is the go to for weekend cooking.

I look forward to seeing some more of your cooking.
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My wife loves the convenience of gas, and she feels safer using it. So now that grill is 100% hers, but she ran out of propane shortly after I bought the kettle and hasn't said anything about refilling the tank. I'm good with that!
 
Yep, once you go coal, it’s a constant goal!
Welcome aboard, I have a gasser and it has its points but, I’m a charcoal guy 99. 44%percent of the time!
I grew up using it, will always be a coal guy!
 
Pete Z said:
I rusted through my original kettle and recently bought a nice blue master touch. These things are awesome.
Click to expand...

How many years did you get out of the original kettle? How many times a week did you use it? I'm 54 and hoping to ride this one to the end of my time!
 
Michael Richards said:
Will,
I am with you, I grow up in a family that cooked on a gas grill all year round. I mean snow, rain, we were cooking on the gasser. So I went right to gas grills myself. For the last ten year I used gas grills. Then last year with the goal to be able to do low and slow pulled pork, I picked up a used brinkmann smoker. I fell in love with the quality and experience with charcoal. A few months ago I picked up a WSM 14 in and have been using it like every other night. When I moved to my new house 5 months ago I did not bring a gas grill with me. I am in the hunt of the right used 22 kettle for me and then I will call it quiets for the moment and learn how to use those two grills in tandem. I don't think I will ever go back to gas. I have learned so much for this community and expect to keep learning more. Welcome to the community. Great pic of the cooper grill and the great cook.
Click to expand...

I've been seduced by all the other options and look frequently, but the 22" kettle is the perfect size for us - typically just my wife and me - so I turned my attention to the kettle add-ons like the Pizza Kettle, a rotisserie and a Gabbys Grill. I have a gas grill right next to my kettle; it ran out of propane and just sits there taking up space.
 
I probably got 40+ out of my first one, which I inherited from my father. The second, I replaced it when it gave out then, I gave it to my cousin, used it for ten years then he got a performer!
I have had the kettle in the double barreled “Overperformer” in my avatar for almost thirty years with no sign of structural failure and I use that one anywhere from three to six days a week! Clean it, polish the lid now and then, you can have a lifetime grill! Maintenance is the key.
 
Welcome Will, it's great to see another Arizonian join the forum. It's a fun place and literally a world full of knowledge. We are Cali transplants also from Lake Forest in Orange County and have been here 18 years. Barb my wife is also an active member and can handle any of our Weber's with ease
Living in the high country we almost have to have a gasser or two because of the fire restrictions in the summer which means no charcoal can be used. With seven Weber's and one Camp Chef pellet grill we get by pretty well. although two of the five gassers and my WSM will be going away, time to downsize.
 
Pete Z said:
I rusted through my original kettle and recently bought a nice blue master touch. These things are awesome.
Click to expand...

What did you do to rust out a kettle? Unless you are putting the fire directly on the bowl or the porcelain coating is damaged, there's no way a kettle should be rusting through. Am I wrong on that?

My original Kettle is about 12 years old, has never been covered and lives/lived in the elements the entire 12 years. Now I even use it as a firepit. To this day I can spray it out, scrape it using cleaner, and it'll look as good as new. lol. That's why I can't imagine what you would have to do to a kettle to actually rust it through.
 
Will AZ said:
How many years did you get out of the original kettle? How many times a week did you use it? I'm 54 and hoping to ride this one to the end of my time!
Click to expand...
I damaged the porcelain years ago or it would still be going strong. The leg came out when I was moving it and the bowl hit the bricks. It has a DA code - that puts it as a 2001 model. I still use it to hold my charcoal chimneys when I'm starting them up.
 
Welcome!! My dad always grilled on a kettle for as long as I’ve known the man. He’s had several other grills while he’s had his kettle. He’d do one or two cooks on the different one and never use it again. I went with a gasser when I was young and dumb. When the gasser died, I got a kettle. Never going to use anything other than my kettle and WSMs. You can do virtually everything with that kettle!! Enjoy...and enjoy this community!!!
 
Will AZ said:
I've been seduced by all the other options and look frequently, but the 22" kettle is the perfect size for us - typically just my wife and me
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Welcome, Will! The 22" is a great grill for 2 people, but I predict that before this year's over you'll add an 18" to your arsenal...;)
 
Brad Olson said:
Welcome, Will! The 22" is a great grill for 2 people, but I predict that before this year's over you'll add an 18" to your arsenal...;)
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Agree with Brad, it's just the wife and me and we have a 22" performer and a smoky Joe 14" which uses a lot less coals than the performer. The problem with the SJ is it's awful hard to cook indirect on it so I picked up a Jumbo Joe which is 18' and a table top grill like the SJ. Perfect for two people and capable of doing indirect cooking. Easy to clean and store. The performer now is used for High Heat ribs and if we want to use the vortex for kettle fried chicken or any larger cook.
 
The thing is, you will see other products which are better suited for some projects, thus, the virus “Weberitus” has made its presence known in another gentle soul < insert evil laugh here>“ Muahhahahaha...
But seriously, I used nothing but a 22 for years, then an 18” maroon kettle showed up at a yard sale for 20 bucks, it sat in the garage for ten years. Straight line wind (and a grand daughter) damaged my fifteen year old pre-performer (was it the platinum?) so, I decided that I would build a better table! Follow that with scoring a very fair deal in my 18” WSM (thanks Dave!) and the horse was out of the barn!
Suffice to say that you have plenty of support as you wend your way through the illness which will never fully die! There is always one more idea that you will want to try!
My next might be another double barrel set up with a dedicated Pizzaque using a Smokey Joe for a coal source.
The mind boggles!
Be safe, grill with no fear, make sure you have beer! (Sorry, only rhyme I could come up with right now)
 
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